Of popcorn, blue dogs and RINOs

To the editor:

In the 1960s my father was a Democratic precinct committeeman in rural North Dakota. One of his best friends was the local Republican State House representative. Both were farmers, fathers and patriots who loved freedom and cared deeply for their community and their neighbors.

In those days in that area much of the work of citizen legislatures got done at kitchen tables. To do the work of the people, my father’s friend would visit and often bring his kids. My dad would fix popcorn for the kids and they would convene in the adjacent living room. Then my dad and his friend would get to work.

They would work from their own cache of popcorn and build two piles: one pile for what they agreed on and one pile for which they disagreed. I recall that the larger was almost always the “agreed pile.” These were men who spoke softly and chose their words with care. They did not let political ideology dictate a position without thinking it through. Voices were never raised and they never insulted each other or spoke in clichés or sound bites. They got the job done!

Today, my father would be called a “blue dog,” and his friend would be called a “RINO.” It is time for the blue dogs to take back the Democratic Party and it is time for the RINOS to take back the Republican party. Until that happens, God help our country.

Tim Johnson

Palmer